Private Autopsy

Our services

An autopsy is a thorough medical examination of a deceased person with the goal of providing clear answers about why a person has died, and other information about the person’s medical condition at the time of death. We provide these services at the request of the next of kin in what’s called a private autopsy.

Uncovering this knowledge can provide you with psychological benefits, such as reassurance that the cause of death was a known disease and medical care has been appropriate – or simply a sense of closure. It can also provide tangible benefits such as information about genetic, environmental, or infectious causes that could potentially affect other family members.

About private autopsies

Private autopsies can be done soon after a person has passed away (even if an autopsy has already been performed by a hospital or some other entity), or in some cases years after the person has been laid to rest.

Reasons for private autopsies can vary, but some of the most common are:

Cases of possible medical malpractice, misdiagnosis, or wrongful death, especially where liability or civil litigation is a factor

Sudden or unexplained death

Suspected or known exposure to toxic chemicals or material

We also offer consulting services on outside autopsies, which can answer questions about the cause of death listed on medical or death records.

How the autopsy takes place

After consulting with you, we will determine the type and extent of autopsy services that are best suited to answer your questions. We will carefully explain the procedures, cost, and other details so that you know exactly what to expect. You can rest assured that an autopsy is not disfiguring and typically will not influence funeral plans.

Once you have agreed to the procedure, ForensicDx will guide you through the logistics of the entire process – including transporting the body to our facility, performing the autopsy at our facility, and returning the body to the entity of your choosing (commonly, a funeral home). Then, we will report our findings to you.

Questions?

Please feel free to contact ForensicDx at (814) 509-6563 to inquire about a private autopsy. Our sensitive staff understands you are grieving, and that this process may be new to you – and we will try hard to make the procedure as easy as possible.

We perform autopsy, tissue procurement, toxicology and molecular DNA lab services. Our clients include coroners, medical examiners, district attorneys, families, law firms, hospitals and funeral homes from all over the United States. Our experts are available to testify in court as expert witnesses to present our findings and stand behind them.